Elecraft Customer Communication!

[Fred (FL)]

Elecraft Inc. has probably the most stellar
customer communication record of any large
or small company that comes to mind.  Their
record, in the amateur communication manufacturing
and design arena - is pretty much unheardof.

When will Icom Inc. communicate how they are
doing on their someday to be announced IC-7200?
What is the story on R&D, new products, and
development at Kenwood Communications, on ham gear?
When was the last time Yaseu asked the amateur
community what they wanted in the way of
new communications products?  When ever did
Heath Company - ever communicate anything of
significance to the ham community?  Especially
on matters of product development.  Had you
ever seen any customer communications - from
Drake, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, or Collins -
on the status of their product development
group?  Did Millen Co. ever communicate their
product ideas to us hams?

You many not realize this, but most major players
in the electronics and consumer products industries,
got out of their way NOT to communicate to the
public or customer base - until after all the
dust and R&D and distribution has settled -
and their product is on the store shelves.  Then
you just get glossy brochures.  Greats like
Eastman Kodak - went so far, as to NOT patent
or disclose patent ideas to the U.S. Patent
office, so as to not to communicate product
or technology ideas or actions to competitors.
This is a common practice in the R&D and
engineering fields.  They would rather chance
patent infringement legal actions, than communicate
what they were up to technically, to competitors.

So IMHO - when the staff at Elecraft is working
24/7 to get their latest K3 offering out to
the consuming public, us hams, they really do
not deserve the remarks that have been posted
by some, or complaints of poor communications.
Rather, just the opposite, they have over
communicated.

I would say any Elecraft guilt - may be that they
tend to over communicate their product ideas
and specifications, and schedules - to competitors way
too early, and way too much.

Hey ......... we all pretty much agree that they
develop and market some of the best communications
products out there.   Let's let them do their
24/7 job.   If one can't wait, or thinks they are
being treated poorly, cancel your order.  Others
are waiting in the wings.

de Fred, N3CSY


       
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[Mark Bayern]

> Their [Elecraft's]
> record, in the amateur communication manufacturing
> and design arena - is pretty much unheardof.

In the world of commerce we all vote with our pocketbooks -- so ...

How many of us would pay upfront for an unseen radio with unknown
specs from one of the 'mainstream' amateur radio manufacturers?

... nuff said.  Elecraft wins.

Mark  AD5SS
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[johnny-52]

Hello Fred,

First, I must make clear that I am an Elecraft friend and built a number of
K2.

The product development of ICOM is not that similar to Elecraft.  The most
profitable market in telecommunication is the insitutional, government and
commercial sector.  The shipping quantity and commitment contract are far
higher than ham gears.

The ham gears from ICOM mainly borrow the design concept and R & D of the
commerical rigs.  IC7800 is one of the example.  There are versions of
IC7800 not known to the hams.  Only less than 25% of the production were
sold to hams.

IC718 is in fact a ham version of the marine radio IC78.  As a result,
IC718 performs well in the low band,

IC781 was manufactured for NATO under a defence contract.

Therefore, Elecraft is the one who truly look at the ham market.  I spoke
to Eric in the Tokyo Ham Fair that K3 would be a good entry to the
insitutional market which could imply huge profit Elecraft.

73

Johnny Siu VR2XMC


From: "Fred (FL)" <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Elecraft Customer Communication!
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:58:21 -0700 (PDT)

Elecraft Inc. has probably the most stellar
customer communication record of any large
or small company that comes to mind.  Their
record, in the amateur communication manufacturing
and design arena - is pretty much unheardof.

When will Icom Inc. communicate how they are
doing on their someday to be announced IC-7200?
What is the story on R&D, new products, and
development at Kenwood Communications, on ham gear?
When was the last time Yaseu asked the amateur
community what they wanted in the way of
new communications products?  When ever did
Heath Company - ever communicate anything of
significance to the ham community?  Especially
on matters of product development.  Had you
ever seen any customer communications - from
Drake, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, or Collins -
on the status of their product development
group?  Did Millen Co. ever communicate their
product ideas to us hams?

You many not realize this, but most major players
in the electronics and consumer products industries,
got out of their way NOT to communicate to the
public or customer base - until after all the
dust and R&D and distribution has settled -
and their product is on the store shelves.  Then
you just get glossy brochures.  Greats like
Eastman Kodak - went so far, as to NOT patent
or disclose patent ideas to the U.S. Patent
office, so as to not to communicate product
or technology ideas or actions to competitors.
This is a common practice in the R&D and
engineering fields.  They would rather chance
patent infringement legal actions, than communicate
what they were up to technically, to competitors.

So IMHO - when the staff at Elecraft is working
24/7 to get their latest K3 offering out to
the consuming public, us hams, they really do
not deserve the remarks that have been posted
by some, or complaints of poor communications.
Rather, just the opposite, they have over
communicated.

I would say any Elecraft guilt - may be that they
tend to over communicate their product ideas
and specifications, and schedules - to competitors way
too early, and way too much.

Hey ......... we all pretty much agree that they
develop and market some of the best communications
products out there.   Let's let them do their
24/7 job.   If one can't wait, or thinks they are
being treated poorly, cancel your order.  Others
are waiting in the wings.

de Fred, N3CSY

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[AJSOENKE]

Well stated, Fred. I'd like to add a comment  that has thus far gone unstated
and deserves mentioning.

I have a   K2 and my K3 is on order since the first announcement. I want to
thank the crew  at Elecraft for allowing me to place a deposit with the
expectation of owning an  extremely fine transceiver. MOREOVER - THANKS for telling
me I could reserve the  future option BEFORE I considered another rig. My buddy
bought a Yaesu in late  April and said to me the other day (palm of hand to
forehead) - "I cudda had a  K3" So thanks for saving me the anguish that I've
seen reflected here and  about.

As a side note - how many of us have lost a few hundred bucks on a  bad stock
purchase (let alone a few thou). My stock in Elecraft is spelled K3  and will
no doubt pay dividends.

At this point be thankful it's not the  peak of the cycle.Go out and blow a
weekend on the family, relax for  the weekend you have banked for the contest.

:-)  Al WA6VNN  




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